DETROIT, MI – The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy announced the three winners of the inaugural Detroit River ArtScape competition, along with the winners of the People’s Choice award, held during Detroit River Days, June 22-24.

The Detroit River ArtScape competition gave 10 selected Michigan artists the opportunity to showcase their works along the RiverWalk, which is one of Detroit’s most dynamic and most-visited public spaces, and competed for a chance to win part of $15,000 in prize money.

Out of more than 80 submissions, a panel of jurors from the art world in Metro Detroit narrowed the field to 10 finalists. From those finalists, the jurors selected three winners of the ArtScape competition. In first place and winning $2,500 is Sean Hages of Hamtramck with Wild Aesthetic; in second place and winning $1,500 is Richard Bennett of Detroit with Pella-Dar; and in third place and winning $500 is Albert Young of Detroit with Guardian. The other seven finalists were William Anderson of Sawyer, Nicolas Barkley of Roseville, Mark Beltchenko of Grosse Pointe Park, Mark Bommarito of Rochester Hills, Kristine Diven of Detroit, M. Saffell Gardner of Highland Park and Jennifer & Joe Rutherford of Plymouth.

In addition, during the Detroit River Days festival, visitors had the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice award.ePrize, a digital engagement agency in Pleasant Ridge, provided the mobile voting technology for this competition. Visitors could text in their votes for their favorite artists via specific keywords, and the top three with the most texts would be awarded prize money. In first place and winning $2,500 is Nicholas Barkley with Mermaid Sunning; in second place and winning $1,500 is Jennifer and Joe Rutherford with Carousel; and in third place and winning $500 is Mark Bommarito with Petroleum Empire. Also, one lucky visitor, who texted in their vote for their favorite artwork, will be randomly selected and win $1,000 worth of art-related prizes.

The annual Detroit River Days festival, presented by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, is a unique festival along the Detroit RiverWalk and on the Detroit River. It features live music on two stages, rides and games, a Taste of Detroit food court, boating activities, including tours of a Tall Ship and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, Diamond Jack River Tours, a kids' zone and much more. For more information, please visit RiverDays.com

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